Dungen

Sunday’s are never the most ideal of days for gigs, with the early onset of Monday dread in the back of the audience mind.

However, Nordic psychsters Dungen were quick to dismiss that notion as they ripped through an intense set of neo-psychedelia which infused jazz and rock elements in equal measure.

Fronted by singer/composer Gustav Ejstes, the Stockholm-based band are difficult to pin to one genre, with the groups set demonstrating key rudiments from a variety of styles.

Whilst playing each song, the band seems on the cusp of a controlled sonic freak-out at any given time, with each of the four members evidently equipped to go dazzlingly off on a tangent and still sound mesmerising.

Reine Fiske’s hypnotic guitar playing in particular was an art form in itself, with his wave of feedback sometimes acting as an ambient base for the other sounds to bounce off on stage.

With a prolific discography to fall back on, the quartet are able to rely on a vast array of spellbinding and mind-altering compositions that are even more absorbing when put in the context of a live setting, with subtle nuances added into the arrangements.

However, whilst the jazz structures and multifaceted constructions may be complex, the Swedish band manages to maintain an unashamedly melodic sensibility throughout, leading to a fantastic live spectacle.

Words: Paul Hill
Twitter: @paulhill3